Johann Zarco didn’t expect to break lap record in Suzuka 8 Hours qualifying

LCR Honda MotoGP star Johann Zarco said he didn’t expect lap times to tumble to such an extent after taking pole position for the Suzuka 8 Hours on Saturday.

Having been in sublime form all weekend, Zarco lowered his best time to a 2m04.290s in the superpole-style Top 10 Trial, setting a new outright lap record in the Japanese endurance classic.

His time was 0.022s quicker than Andrea Locatelli's on the No. 21 Yamaha set and secured him and teammate Takumi Takahashi pole position for the 46th running of the event.

The returning factory Yamaha team had been a major threat to Honda in the build-up to the final qualifying session, with Locatelli’s teammate Jack Miller already going under the lap record in practice on Saturday morning.

Locatelli moved the goalposts further with a 2m04.316s in the Top 10 Trial, but Zarco - who was last to go out in the session - managed to improve just enough to grab the top spot on the grid for Sunday’s race.

“I didn’t expect to go that low in the 2m04s,” the Frenchman said afterwards. “I was thinking 2m04.5s but I knew 2m04.5s wouldn’t be enough for pole position so this was a nice surprise for me and it’s kind of a pleasure to have this good lap time to give the opportunity for Takumi to start in pole position tomorrow.

“We knew that we are strong for Sunday about the pace, but I repeat that we also know some other riders have an extra with new tyres and it’s difficult for us to make big difference, but today it came.”

Zarco admitted that the pressure has been creeping up on him this weekend, as he returns to the Suzuka 8 Hours to defend his 2024 title.

“We don’t need to have pressure because our work is in a different category but the pressure is coming up,” he said. 

“And I did not expect to have this low 2m04s. When I saw the Yamaha this morning in free practice improving the lap time [I was worried]. 

“But when Jack could not finish the lap time I kind of rested. But then when I saw the 2m04.03 of Loca, I said I need to try and we will see. Then I see the flag [that] I have the best lap time, I was happy.”

Jack Miller explains qualifying crash

Having already walked away unscathed from a major crash in practice, Pramac Yamaha MotoGP rider Miller again hit the deck in the Top 10 Trial.

The Australian was on course to set the fastest time of the session until that point when he lost control exiting the chicane, skidding to the right before suffering a highside.

He quickly remounted on the bike to finish the lap, but finished more than 11 seconds off the pace.

However, with only the individual fastest time from each team being used in the Top 10 Trial this year, as opposed to the combined times from the two nominated riders in the past, Miller’s mistake didn’t have any impact on Yamaha’s starting position.

“Like my career it’s almost perfect until it’s not,” Miller said. “The lap was really good and the bike was working really well but I got too excited to finish the lap and it fell over in the last chicane.

“Thankfully ‘Loka’ was clutch for the team because I left him in a difficult position with a 2m16s and he had to carry the weight. I was all-in on the lap, trying to achieve the pole for Yamaha and, unfortunately, it kind of unravelled at the last corner.”